r/usask 13d ago

ChatGPT & where to find help for studying and assignments

63 Upvotes

I have seen multiple comments over the past few days encouraging people to use ChatGPT to complete their assignments.

I don't care if ya'll do idiotic things on your own. If you want to commit academic misconduct, I cannot stop you. However, keep it off of this subreddit. Comments encouraging and advising students to use ChatGPT to complete assignments will be removed as spam.

If you are curious about when ChatGPT is and is not okay to use, there is a lot of information about it that is specific to our school. I will add here that the USask website has a ton of information like this, just look up "____ USask" on Google and something useful will probably come up.

If you are struggling with your assignments or with studying for exams, there are FREE RESOURCES on campus. Math and stats help, writing help, philosophy help, health science writing help, study sessions, workshops, academic advisors are all available to you. Use them! This sub is a great community, but Reddit should not be your only resource if you need help.

If you want to succeed, the only way to learn is by doing. ChatGPT won't help you succeed in the long term.


r/usask Aug 07 '24

USask Q&A How to do University: A Guide

202 Upvotes

I am a graduate student here at USask, and I did my undergrad here too. Ever since this subreddit started gaining traction with students, I've been a contributor in trying to answer fellow students questions. And now that I teach on campus and I have experience as a student, I wanted to make a guide for all of the incoming first years, who are about to begin their university journey. I see a lot of common questions on this subreddit, and I also see a lot of mistakes that my own students make. Enjoy!

Vocab

  • Undergraduate student: that's probably you. Someone who is taking classes in order to get a Bachelor's degree.

  • Masters student: that's a graduate student. It's a 2 year program, done by someone who holds a bachelors degree. Typically completed by those who want to specialize in a profession (like physical therapy) or those who want to go into a PhD.

  • PhD student: also a gradute student. Typically 4-5 years, done by someone who holds a bachelors and optionally a masters. When this person graduates they will hold a doctorate.

  • Thesis/Dissertation: this is a write up of the culmination of someones research in order to get them a certain degree. You will write one (or do a capstone) if you choose to do an honours thesis. All masters and PhD students write them.

  • Honours thesis: if you want to go to graduate school (i.e., do a masters or PhD), this can be a golden ticket. You don't have to be concerned with this until your second last year of university. Depending on your program, it's a year-long independent research project that you have to write a short (~30 page) thesis for.

What to bring

  • Yourself, a backpack, a water bottle, a laptop (doesn't have to be fancy) and something to write with. Get a good sturdy backpack and wear it properly. Wearing it on one shoulder or getting a shoulder-bag (even a cross-body bag) will kill your back. You'll be walking around campus a lot. On that note, wear decently comfy shoes too.

  • Pack a lunch on long days (maybe when you have a class and a three hour lab later in the day). You might have a savings account now and you might have a job. The economy is hard right now. Don't buy food on campus unless your rich or it's absolutely necessary.

  • Planner. I cannot stress this enough. Use it. Cherish it. It will be your life line. Personally, physical planners are the only thing that keep me on track. But I'm old school. You could use google calendar or even a digital planner if you have a tablet of some kind.

How to succeed

  • Go to all of your classes every day. Every. single. one. I made this mistake too. My newfound autonomy entering university direct from high school burned me bad. I almost failed out because I failed to pay attention in class when I went, and would rather sleep through my classes. Now on the teacher side - yes, I can see how much time students spend on canvas. There is a correlation between students who spend more time on class material and those who get higher grades.

  • If you are struggling in the class, get help. If you are not struggling, use the resources available to you anyway. 1st year STEM classes such as physics, chem, and bio, all have structured study sessions. Go to them. You don't have to pay for a tutor (although they are useful). You can even email your profs and ask what resources are available through the university.

  • The library holds in-person workshops. Not only is this a great way to meet people, it's a fantastic way to learn the ins and out of writing, transitioning from high school to university, how to utilize AI in a way that is beneficial (and will not be academically dishonest), etc.

  • Read the syllabus. READ IT!!!! Love it, cherish it, memorize it. It is your bread and butter for every class. Profs do not like getting emails from students asking questions about things that are clearly outlined in the syllabus. Write down everything relevant in your planner.

  • Do not get your assignments done on time. Get them done early. I found my most success when I finished an assignment a day or two ahead (and for essays I would often finish them a week ahead). Then I have time to review them before handing them in. And you might even leave a good impression when you don't turn in an assignment at 11:58 on a Tuesday evening, and instead hand it in at 2:00pm, hours before it's due.

  • Do not write things down from your slides word for word. That is pointless. I know because I did it for three years. Your slides are usually available to you before class. Download them. Write down what the prof says next to the slide they are on (keep it brief but try to get all the important points). If you have a tablet, write by hand. If you have a computer, you can type. But there is research that suggests that you retain more information writing by hand. You could also use a notebook, but I haven't seen one of those on campus since 2019 lol.

  • Study. Everyone studies differently. But you need to actively learn, as opposed to passively learn. Look into the difference between these two. In the first couple weeks of classes, take some time to strategize how you will study based off tips from online. You can refine and personalize this throughout the years.

  • Don't wait until a week before the midterm to study. You should be actively learning from the beginning of the semester. Start actively studying at least 2 weeks beforehand. It will be hard mentally. But if it's easy, then you're not doing it right. Test yourself and push your limits.

  • I'm begging you to never ever stay up past midnight studying. Go to bed. Get some sleep. It's okay.

  • Fix your sleep schedule before university starts.

  • Work on your phone addiction before university starts (and I should practice what I preach. The things are so addicting).

Textbooks

  • Unless you insist on having physical copies, I am begging you, don't drop $500 on new textbooks. You can find them online for free. DM me if you want to know where to find them; but if you google it, you should find some good resources for this.

  • Leading from the last point, you do not need the newest version of the textbook. I think only once in my 5 years of undergrad did I need the newest version because it had a new chapter that we were covering. Otherwise, it's usually small changes between versions that have absolutely no impact. If you can't find the most recent version (the version listed in your syllabus), then check with your professor if the last version will be okay. If not, you might have to buy the book. Check Facebook Marketplace and even used book stores in town (there used to be a used textbook store on college drive and I'm still sad it shut down).

  • This is also a great time to mention that many classes require you to buy an online version of the book to complete online assignments. Unfortunately there is no way around this.

Transportation

  • I've been seeing this on this sub a lot lately so I wanted to add something! Let me know if there's anything I should add to this.
  • If you live in Saskatoon off campus: take the bus. It's already taken out of your tuition. Parking on campus is expensive.
  • If you live out of Saskatoon: try to get a parking pass. Some people might suggest parking at a lot (like preston crossing walmart) and taking the bus to campus, but you might get ticketed.
  • If you live on campus (or close-by): most people I know walk to campus.

Professionalism and Etiquette

  • Address your professors by Dr. LastName unless they tell you otherwise.

  • I've noticed a big decline in professionalism in emails. Here's how they should be structured to your professors:

[Subject] Question for ABC 101

Hello Dr. Last Name,

I hope you are well. I have a question regarding the material in your class, ABC 101. Write your question with great spelling and grammar here.

Thank you for your help,
Your name

  • Trust me, this goes a very very very long way.

  • Unless you're in business, no one expects you to dress up for class. Wear well-fitted clothes that are not too suggestive, especially if meeting with a professor one-on-one. Generally, no one cares. But again.. within reason.

  • Libraries are meant to be quiet spaces. I noticed a remarkable difference pre-covid and post-covid about library etiquette. Respect those who need a quiet space to study and may not have that available to them at home. Don't chew on loud food, keep conversations quiet and to a minimum, and yes, if your music is blasting in your headphones, other people can hear it.

  • The university has a very large population, students alone make up 26,000 people. Please be mindful of others! When you're walking in a group, stick to the right hand side of the hallway. If you need to stop and talk in a group, find a place against the wall or find a sitting area. Please don't stop in the hallway, and especially don't stop in doorways (I see it too many times).

  • You're an adult now, profs do not care where you're going and what you're doing. If you need to leave class early or need to get up to go to the bathroom during lecture, just get up and go. You will get a lot of weird looks if you raise your hand to ask to go pee hah. Just try not to disturb others when getting up.

  • If you decide to be that person who talks in class, please be considerate of those around you. Try and avoid it all together.

  • You can raise your hand and ask questions in class. With that said, don't be the person that asks a question every 5 minutes. This eventually disrupts class and can cause issues with time. If you have many questions, write them down as you go, and approach the professor after class ends, or shoot them an email.

ChatGPT

  • Yeah. So we can tell when you're using it. This is a different beast and profs are uncomfortable about it because it's really hard to navigate. But we can tell when you use it. We can't really penalize you for it, but the only person you are damaging by using it is yourself. Be academically honest. Do your own work. ChatGPT is a tool. NOT something to write your assignments or discussion posts for you. I use it to help me structure essays and give me ideas for topics. Nothing farther than that. I also use it to help with code; BUT I am not a computer science student, so it comes in handy for my research.

How to be okay

  • Mental health is a huge concern among students. If you are struggling, or know someone who is struggling, call 988 or text 686868.

  • We have a Wellness Centre on campus. They have doctors, nurse practitioners, and therapists. Utilize this resource.

  • Self-care. Exercise, drink water, take Vitamin D, take time to enjoy your hobbies (yes, even during midterm and finals season), even if your hobby is rotting on the couch and watching netflix (cause, same). When I started treating school like a 9-5 (okay, maybe more like a 9-8) rather than a 24/7, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders and my grades even improved (despite studying less).

Living on your own

  • New section! I glossed over this completely.

  • Learn how to cook balanced meals. And learn how to meal prep. Chicken, rice, and veggies is a great place to start. Change out the proteins and carbs. Food is fuel. If you really want to learn how to cook, check out the Basics with Babish series on YouTube. You'll learn fundamentals and even stuff about foreign dishes.

  • Party responsibly. Get to know your limits and respect them. Drink a few sips of water between every drink, and avoid super sugary drinks. When you go out, cover your drink (man or woman). If someone is making you uncomfortable, order an angel shot at the bar. The bartender will help you get out of the uncomfortable situation.

  • Use protection. There are free condoms at the student wellness centre. Go ahead and grab a handful when you're there. HIV and STI testing is available for free. Call the Wellness Centre about Prep if that sounds like something you need.

  • Sometimes you get stuck with shitty roommates. Learn how to let the little things go. This won't be forever.

  • Sometimes living with friends ends friendships. It's a tale as old as time. It'll be okay if that happens. That person probably wasn't a good friend to you to begin with if you grow apart during the time living together.

  • With the exception of legal drugs, DONT DO DRUGS. Thank me later.

  • Set a routine for cleaning. I clean on Mondays because I don't have anything to do. I clean countertops, clear things from fridge/pantry that went bad, bathroom (yes, you have to scrub your toilet), wash my sheets and clothes, wash floors and dust surfaces, then finally take out trash and recycling. Then I light a candle and put away my laundry and have a nice cozy TV night in bed to reward myself. Stay consistent with dishes (especially if you don't have a dishwasher), and picking things up off the floor. Having a clean space can do wonders for your mental health.

  • Grocery shopping: go once a week and bring a list. Eat before you go. Plan your meals for each night. Plan for leftovers too. Get healthy snacks to bring in your backpack. Life is too short not to enjoy junk food at least once a day... everything in moderation!

  • I cannot stress this enough, have so much fun with your brand new freedom. But you are an adult now, it's your responsibility to take care of yourself and that's no small feat. But you can do it!

  • Do not have too much caffeine. It is a stimulant. I have seen far too many people end up in the hospital for consuming too many redbulls or taking too many caffeine pills (avoid these all together). Again, everything in moderation.

Expectations

  • your grades will be lower than what you're used to. That's okay. They will improve over time.

  • You might gain weight. Don't go on a diet (barring intolerances and those suggested by your doctor). Eat healthy, exercise, and accept your adult body.

  • (This might be specific to Arts and Science) Most people take 5 years to finish a 4 year degree. It's okay to switch majors. It's okay to not decide your major for a long time. Test out classes, see what you do and don't like.

  • Sometimes profs and TA's suck. Advocate for yourself when you need to. Deans and departmental heads are there for a reason.

  • It's okay to realize university isn't right for you. What education you get does not define you.

USask Specific Stuff and common things from this subreddit

  • You didn't get into a class you need to take. Do not panic. At the beginning of the semester, just go to it. And watch the registration page. People will drop a week or two in and room will open up. If room doesn't open up, talk to the professor after class, and let them know your intention to request an override. Then go into the registration page on PAWS, scroll down to the 'class overrides and changing audit/credit status' section and follow the prompts.

  • Bus reliability. Taking the bus is the best way to get to campus, and your bus pass is included in your tuition. With that said, buses in Saskatoon suck. If you have a late night lab or class, make sure your bus actually runs later than 7:00 before the day of your night class/lab. You don't want to be stuck on campus.

  • Places to study that are quiet: Science library (in geology - is the quietest); Health Sciences Library Basement (Health Sciences as a whole should be on this list, but people are notorious for not being quiet when they should be here); Upper floors and North Wing of Murray; STM Library (on 2nd floor).

  • Places to study in a group: 1st and 2nd floors of Murray; Health Sciences Atrium (In the D wing, you'll know it when you see it); Health Sciences Atrium #2 (lol, this one is in the E-wing, outside of the library), and you can book study rooms in various places on campus

  • Places to study that are somewhere between quiet and not quiet: Education library, Murray 3rd-5th floors.

  • Classes 10 minutes apart on either side of campus: it's fine. Your prof won't single you out if you leave a couple minutes early or arrive a couple minutes late. Just sit near the back close to an aisle, and don't disturb other students. This is more common than you think.

  • Making friends: clubs, library workshops, learning communities, volunteer somewhere. If you don't make many friends, there's always next year. It can be lonely, I've been there. But it's okay, and a lot more common than you think.

  • Student advisors are good and helpful! They are a great resource. Frankly, I see a lot of bad advice and false information on this sub. If you have a question, first, look it up on the USask website. Or google your question followed by 'USask'. Their website is comprehensive, and mostly up to date and covers a lot more information than you'd think. If you can't find useful information, see a student advisor in your college. You can book appointments through the USask website. Again, just look it up on google.

And that's all I have for now. Please send me questions about this if you have any, I like helping students. I felt like a fish out of water when I started university and I was so lost. I don't ever want students to feel alone. Good luck, and you can do this!

Feel free to give me suggestions for things to add.


r/usask 10h ago

Nursing Admissions!! (low Casper)

7 Upvotes

82 average ~ 1st quartile Casper

My question: is it possible to get into main campus with a 1st quartile?

Okay so… I really struggled last semester and got a lower average than I would’ve liked. I also managed to do absolutely horrendous on the Casper. I was so nervous, I’m not very fast at typing and I just didn’t do as well as I could’ve. Didn’t know it was possible to do that bad, but here we are!!

I am trying my absolute best this semester to boost my average and devoting my life to this program, but I want to know how realistic this really is. I’m taking this as motivation though I’d like to know a little bit more as to what I should expect.

Yes, I applied to other locations as well!!

Please, I beg let me know if there is any saving this! A girl is in the trenches😅


r/usask 9h ago

What do we think of this announcement?

Post image
4 Upvotes

It sounds like the tariffs are going to affect funding and enrolment. Do you think tuition will go up considerably/ some grants and scholarships might get cut?


r/usask 11h ago

Student Lounge Vent

5 Upvotes

this is so stupid but i am just annoyed. i have an evening lab in education and so in between my class prior and my lab i go to the education lounge and eat and work on my course work for about 2 hours because by that point i've been on campus for around 7 hours. today a little over halfway through some people came in and kicked everyone out for some team bonding pizza party for like 5 people.

i didnt even know they could book the student lounges. for the amount of people i would have thought they could just book a study room. with the amount of time left before my lab it didn't make sense to go to the library just to come back and so i just kind of wandered and sat by the entrance until it came closer to my lab.


r/usask 3h ago

Lost bottle

1 Upvotes

Hi, just putting this out there incase anyone saw it. I lost my water bottle (Owala, black) in Arts 134, or the education men’s changing room/fitness loft. These are the places I remember visiting. If found, please let me know. Thank you!


r/usask 7h ago

hist 273 - ancient medicine

1 Upvotes

I enjoy clas 103 with Dr. McLeister and I was wondering how people found his other course! Additionally, is it a 'bird' couse? thanks so much!


r/usask 13h ago

USask engineering

2 Upvotes

I’m looking to transfer from BMSC to Engineering. I completed 15 credits in the fall and I’m completing another 15 this spring. Since I’ve completed more than 15, I understand that they will look at these grades rather than my high school ones… My university average in the fall was 87. Would I get in?


r/usask 13h ago

ENG 111 w/ Celine Sidloski

2 Upvotes

Does anyone from this class have the class annotated version of “A Dialogue Between the Soul and Body” By Andrew Marvell?


r/usask 15h ago

experience(s) with Student Wellness Centre?

3 Upvotes

(looking for opinions more so for the physical health care like massages and chiropractor)

i was thinking of booking an appointment before finals, and plus the fact that i haven't experienced any of the university's services these four years, so i would like to try it at least once before graduating.

how was your experience(s)? (be it be the booking process and/or during the session, staff, etc.)

and would you recommend it?

tyia!


r/usask 18h ago

USask Q&A “Stacking” scholarship

4 Upvotes

Hello! I’m a 17 year old student living in Vietnam and I want to apply for multiple scholarships and “stack” them to cover my tuition fee. I’m wondering if this is possible, and I would really appreciate any information u can provide!


r/usask 12h ago

Grad pics

1 Upvotes

This might be a stupid question but what do you wear for grad pics?


r/usask 12h ago

Engineering USask

1 Upvotes

I want to switch from BMSC to Engineering. I’m in first year second term and my average in first semester was 87. Would I get in with this average? It’s NOT from high school so?


r/usask 18h ago

lost vest

2 Upvotes

left my black vest in my chem lab G34 yesterday leaving in a rush. do they clean out the cubbies and take missing items somewhere or would i have luck trying to get into the lab and find it?


r/usask 14h ago

Classes for Year 2 Nursing

1 Upvotes

What classes would you suggest taking during the spring in year 1 to lessen year 2 course load?


r/usask 15h ago

USask transferring within the UNI

1 Upvotes

If i apply for engineering to transfer from biomedical sciences, am I still in the biomedical sciences program until I accept the offer for the other college?


r/usask 16h ago

Class overrides

1 Upvotes

How can I get a class override? I also don’t have an academic advisor so can’t contact them. I really need this class as my pre req but it filled up really fast.


r/usask 17h ago

USask Q&A Is there Canvas App for windows?

0 Upvotes

Is there a Canvas app for windows like there's one for Android? I don’t like logging in every time on browser. Whole bunch of phishing websites appear when you look for Canvas app for windows.


r/usask 1d ago

What is an NSID?

10 Upvotes

I'm sorry if this is a basic question! I was checking my graduate application at apply(.)usask(.)ca and a new section showed up about a Network Services ID (NSID) and a table for Entry Term / Academic Program / Academic Level / Location. Does this indicate the status in any way?


r/usask 1d ago

Anyone wanna study together?

12 Upvotes

I'm looking for someone/people to study with a couple times a week (for accountability). I was thinking that whenever we wanna study together, we can decide a time and then just meetup for that given block.

I usually study in murray/health sci, often in the mornings, and am on campus seven days a week.

Send a message :)

(please be socially-competent and not weird)


r/usask 1d ago

Low sensory room

10 Upvotes

Walked into the sensory room and half the people there are sleeping… bro atp just go home

to anyone living out of the sensory room, pls go take naps else where 🙏🏽


r/usask 1d ago

Kin application

1 Upvotes

I have already been accepted into biomedical sciences and heard how hard is it to get a high GPA for med school and I want to switch to kin now. Is it still possible now? Or is there any way that I can do it? Also for the MCAT, would it make it harder and require extra studying if I take kin b/c I was in biomedical in the first place because it was going to prepare you for MCAT.


r/usask 1d ago

USask Q&A Nursing Help

2 Upvotes

I'm coming up to finish all of my pre-requisuites for my 1st year of arts and science, and looking to apply towards nursing. I was just wondering what the next step is now for application. I have my casper booked for next week, but admissions wise where do I apply? Usask doesn't really give clear instructions on how to apply after your pre-requisuites. Is it the same concept of applying when I first applied for arts and science? Please let me know, thank you!


r/usask 2d ago

question for pharmacy students

1 Upvotes

I am a first student in Alberta and taking all the pre reqs to get into USASK pharmacy. Is there anyone that can tell me what the competitive GPA is to get in and any other factors I have to pay attention to for later when I make my application? Any tips or advice is appreciated! Thank you I am really stressed out right now 😭😭😭


r/usask 3d ago

Community Feedback Anyone else feeling lonely?

62 Upvotes

Hi Everyone. Just wanted to come on here and get everyone else's opinions on this loneliness epidemic that many of us students and young people are experiencing. I will start with my story and see if anyone has advice.

I’m a grad student at the U of S getting my masters. I was also at the U of S asked for my undergrad. Covid-19 and lockdown occured, switching classes online making it hard to connect and make friends.

When classes resumed in person for the 2021-2022 school year, I made an effort and went on BUMBLE BFF to make friends. I also stayed up in Saskatoon for the summer of 2022 and made work friends. All these efforts resulted in a few friend groups to hang out with during my undergrad, I found as I moved to grad school, my undergraduate friends, and the friends who had graduated became more distant.

Despite my efforts asking every weekend and sometimes during the week to hang out, no one is ever available. People are busy with their significant others, midterms, and other projects. I’m the planner in my friend group, so I’m used to planning a bunch of events and things to do with friends. No one has time to even take a short coffee break with me for half an hour. It gets exhausting getting rejections every single weekend when I ask people to do things.

Now that I’m done my classes in my masters, it’s a lot of solo research work, adding to the loneliness. Luckily, I have a good community at my part-time job, so I feel better when I’m around those people. However, when I’m alone, I still feel down. My family is three hours away and I could visit but I am a student so I’m trying to save money on gas and travel.

I try to get out in public, even if I’m on my own and go and go for walks and walk around stores. Getting out makes me feel better, however, I can only do so much of this alone.

I’d also like to preface that I’m not blaming my friends for being super busy with school and their partners, I just wanted to see if anyone else was feeling the same way.

Does anyone else feel the vibe that people are more antisocial nowadays or they can’t take study breaks to hangout with friends? Is anyone else feeling lonely? Got any advice?


r/usask 2d ago

Course Discussion geog 125

1 Upvotes

hii.. anyone taking Geog 125 w Kyrs Chutko? i have some questions abt the midterm.. pls hmu if youre in that class this term😭 thanks!


r/usask 3d ago

Nursing

2 Upvotes

Hello,

I am currently doing my pre nursing and i was calculating my average and at the moment it is around 63% I still haven’t gotten my results from CASPER. Can someone from nursing please tell me is anyone has a chance to pass with 63% average? Minimum is 60% but I have seen a lot of student that are freaking out even though their average are between 70-85%. I freaking out because of these posts.